Mihawk is said to be the strongest swordsman in the One Piece world, and he is commented as being a monster superior to monsters. Because of his status and power, defeating him is Roronoa Zoro's ultimate goal. Mihawk is so strong, in fact, he is accused by some characters (and fans) of having the power of a Devil Fruit; however, nothing has stated anything but that his abilities simply come from pure skill and power.
He wields the Black Sword Yoru, the strongest sword in the world. It's an ornately decorated, man-sized (6 feet) sword shaped like a cross with a shiny black blade, curved at the end. It also seems to generate otherworldly purple streaks as it slices, as seen when he cut down Zoro and when he split Don Krieg's ship in half. He can tear pirate ships apart with a single, unseen slash of his sword, blocking bullets with a simple turn of his sword, and he can easily defend against even legendary swords with a small, inch-long knife concealed in the cross he wears around his neck.
In appearance, Mihawk wears very decorative, ornate, black-and-red clothing. His most identifiable clothing would be his wide-rimmed hat adorned with a large piece of fluff, a long, black cloak, and his cross necklace and sword. He is easily compared to the real-life pirate Bartholomew Roberts, AKA Black Bart, who also donned a crimson overcoat, a wide brimmed hat with a red feather, and a diamond cross attached to a gold chain around his neck. Mihawk travels around in a coffin-shaped raft with two green-flamed candles, a single black sail, and a single seat. The fact that he can traverse across the unforgiving oceans, as well as the Grand Line itself, in such a meager craft is yet another testament to his abilities.
(Source: Wikipedia)
